The Arizona Cardinals announced Wednesday they signed cornerback Carrington Byndom and defensive tackle Olsen Pierre to their practice squad.

Pierre signed with the Chicago Bears in May as a rookie free agent out of Miami. The 6-foot-5, 293-pound defensive lineman remained with the team until he was released on Aug. 30. In four seasons with the Hurricanes he appeared in 44 games, tallying 96 tackles, 2.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Byndom and Pierre will take the place of cornerback Leon McFadden, who was claimed by the New York Giants, and defensive end Lawrence Okoye, who was released by the Cardinals.

It’s likely that Ereck Flowers will be the first Hurricanes player chosen in the NFL draft, which begins April 30.

It’s clear the Carolina Panthers, who own the 25th pick, really, really like him.

Flowers, the 6-foot-6, 324-pound offensive tackle who left UM after his junior season, fills an immediate need for the Panthers on the right side and could eventually move to the left side. He interviewed with Carolina at the NFL combine, visited the team and worked out for top brass. The team also sent several representatives to watch him at the Hurricanes’ April 1 pro day. The Charlotte Observer even flew their beat writer to do a profile on him (though as usual, Flowers didn’t talk).

If he’s available when Carolina picks, he’ll probably join Cam Newton and Kelvin Benjamin. But several analysts think he might not be.

In the slew of mock drafts we found online, Flowers is slotted as high as No. 9 overall. FoxSports.com’s Peter Schrager has him going at that spot, to the New York Giants.

The highest-rated prospect is Ereck Flowers, UM’s former left tackle who skipped his senior season to turn pro. WalterFootball is high on Flowers, projecting him ninth overall to the New York Giants and the second offensive lineman taken. A website called Great Blue North Draft Report believes Flowers will go 14th to the hometown Dolphins. Flowers is projected 21st overall by CBS Sports’ Rob Rangand by FootballsFuture. CBS’ Dane Brugler projected Flowers 30th to Denver.

Perryman is a projected as a first-rounder per Sports Illustrated, the 21st overall pick. He also snuck into the first round of WalterFootball.com’s latest mock draft, going 30th to Denver.

The website DraftTek did a seven-round mock draft that included eight Hurricanes, led by Perryman (second round, 42nd to Atlanta). Flowers (65th to Tampa) and Johnson (73rd to Atlanta) were third-round picks. Also projected to be drafted: Walford (fourth round, 125th to Green Bay), Gunter (fifth round, 132nd to Oakland), Dorsett (seventh, 194th to Tampa) and Pierre (seventh, 212nd to Philadelphia). The site also listed junior Tracy Howard (sixth, 183rd to Pittsburgh), who has not declared for the draft.

Anthony Chickillo, Jon Feliciano and Shane McDermott will play in the East-West Shrine Game (4 p.m. Saturday, NFL Network). Feliciano and McDermott (of Palm Beach Central) will play for the East team, while Chickillo is on the West roster.

Olsen Pierre will play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl as will UCLA’s Malcolm Bunche, a former Cane (4 p.m. Saturday, ESPN2). Team practices will be televised Wednesday and Thursday on ESPNU.

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